As the Snow Falls
by Miss Maudlin
Summary: ...As the snow rained down upon us, I cried pitifully upon his shoulder. I wanted him to leave me, yet deep inside it felt so right to be held by him. So right. [oneshot]


_A/N:_

This is my first attempt at writing a TOS fic. I usually write Legend of Zelda fluff, but I thought a change of scenery for a bit would be nice. And I'm a total supporter of SheenaxZelos and ColettexLloyd, so I couldn't not start writing about them! The potential fluff there is too hard to resist! And, if you find yourself inspired by this one-shot feel oh so free to check out my LOZ fics, too. (they are all LinkxZelda romances hehehehe) :D

Disclaimer: I don't own TOS, or LOZ, or anything with cool abbreviations. :( (cries)

* * *

**_As the Snow Falls_**

I felt trapped here, in this room. It was so small, so dark, so lonely that my heart began to ache with a feeling that was so familiar that I could recognize it instantly: fear. Fear coursed through my veins and caused my chest to seize up and my hands to shake and perspiration to dot my brow. I had to get out. I couldn't tolerate it anymore.

It really didn't matter that I wasn't truly alone, what with Colette and Presea sleeping so near, their breaths the only sounds I could hear, so quiet, so sure of their safety and so far from what I was feeling right now, this moment. Trembling still as I put on my shoes, I was forced to bear witness to my memories. My nightmares.

I opened the door quietly and shut it quietly. But I didn't even notice the feel of the wood upon my palm, or the cool smoothness of the metal doorknob. Fear had consumed me now. I felt ill with it. My stomach churned and I tasted sour bile in the back of my throat. Swallowing, I proceeded down the stairs.

_ "I'll never forgive you for what you've done! You murdered my parents!"_

"Don't look at her. Don't look at her and maybe she'll go away."

"Martel has cursed us. Cursed us when you were born into our village."

"My daughter is gone! You killed her! Oh, Merciful Martel, you've taken my only child…!"

The voices echoed inside my head. Clamored for my attention. Relentless, haunting voices that could never be soothed. Or stilled. I swung the door open, my hands clamped to my ears, and ran outside. The snow beneath my feet crunched and left the memory of me. I possessed no idea what time it was, although it was dark. The moon hung brightly in the sky, its milky light spreading across the land.

No one was out at this hour. I was glad. There was not a person who could change what I had done. There was no one save Martel Herself who could bring back the people I had murdered because of my own failure.

My breath coming out in gasps, I collapsed near a bench, the snow dampening my clothes and causing the cold air to bite even more harshly. A streetlamp glowed above me. I cowered underneath its bright light. I couldn't stand the thought of my very existence being recognized by even a mere inanimate object.

My chest was so tight it was painful. My eyes burned with unshed tears. But I couldn't cry. I couldn't cry because I knew it wouldn't help anyone, not even myself.

I gripped the edge of the bench before me and simply listened to my gasps, the blood pounding in my ears, the wind whistling through the skeletal trees. I do not know how long I was there, alone, in the snow, in the middle of Flanoir where there was not a person in sight. Before long, though, it began to snow. Such a beautiful occurrence to rain upon someone as horrible as me.

The flakes fell gently into my hair, onto my hands, melting upon my hot flesh. The cool drops of melted ice slid down my skin, causing me to shiver. Gruffly, I wiped away the liquid.

I hadn't witnessed snow in the longest time. Not since before I had committed such atrocities upon my own village…

I buried my face in my hands and shook as I was forced to remember: the corpses, the tears, the pleadings, the anger, the hate, the resentment, the loneliness—everything. The anguish and that intense feeling of failure that had taken control of my entire being had never left me. Never.

I couldn't think clearly. My nightmares were consuming me. I was so terrified of tomorrow, of facing anther Spirit that could potentially kill all the people I now held dear—and because of my own failure. Oh, Merciful Martel, how I feared the dawn.

The snow continued to fall. The light continued to shine upon my form. The moon hung in the sky and the stars twinkled merrily. I shook uncontrollably.

And that was when he found me.

"For the love of Martel, there you are!" Zelos cried, his footsteps crunching the snow. "We have been looking for you for over an hour! What possessed you to run off like that?"

I looked up into his face. He was frowning, and his usually perfect locks were covered with snow. His nose, to my surprise, was rather red with the cold. I would have laughed if I hadn't been shaking so badly.

I didn't respond, however. I couldn't do anything except stare at him.

Zelos placed his hands on his hips. "Sheena, for the love of all that is holy within this world, can we go back now? I'm freezing my ass off here!" He reached up to comb his fingers through his matted hair. "Not to mention my hair is an absolute mess. What would all my hunnies think if they saw the Chosen so disheveled?" He tsked in annoyance.

My numbness began to dispel until all I could feel was an intense anger. Rising swiftly, I snapped, "Do you ever think about anything but your appearance!"

Zelos smirked. "I think about all of the hunnies in this world, too. Don't forget about them," he responded airily as he continued to comb his scarlet hair with his fingers. "And that's why I came looking for you, Sheena, for the Chosen must always look after his precious hunnies."

I began to seethe. It felt so welcome instead of the fear that I embraced it instantly.

And I directed it straight at Zelos.

"I am not your 'hunnie'!" I snarled, my fists clenching. "How many times have I told you not to refer to me as one?!"

He raised an eyebrow. "My, my, aren't we testy tonight. You are truly living up to your role as a banshee, my dear. I very scary one, at that."

"DON'T CALL ME A BANSHEE!" I shrieked, my hand connecting with his cheek in a slap. I missed, though. He caught my hand in his own before it had connected with his flesh. I shook with rage.

Zelos turned over my hand and traced a line on my palm. "Somehow I have a feeling you didn't run off tonight because you wanted to have a chance to slap me," he commented softly. His eyes left my palm to gaze down into my own.

I stared at him. My rage instantly dispelled by his gentleness. I was consumed with thousands of emotions, my eyes wide and my chin trembling.

As a result, I began to cry.

I shook with racking sobs until I collapsed upon the snow-covered ground. I felt so ashamed. What had I been thinking? Zelos had been kind enough to go looking for me, risking his hair to the elements, and I repaid him by slapping him? I cried even harder as a result.

I don't know how long I kneeled there, sobbing. But before I knew it I found myself in an embrace. Zelos's embrace.

I tried to push him away. I was just another of his hunnies to him. I could imagine it now, envision how he had comforted each one, using the same lines and the same technique. I pushed against his shoulders, but he wouldn't let me go.

I eventually gave up, collapsing in his arms.

As the snow rained down upon us, I cried pitifully upon his shoulder. I wanted him to leave me, yet deep inside it felt so right to be held by him. So right.

I don't know what I said. I think I mumbled apologies between sobs, but Zelos didn't speak. He just held me. And I think that's all I really needed. Someone who would hold me and not say a word about it.

When I had calmed down a bit, Zelos pulled away and brushed my remaining tears away with his hands. To my surprise, his fingers were calloused. I suppose he wasn't such a dandy after all.

"Better now?" he asked quietly as he surveyed my bedraggled appearance.

I nodded before resting my forehead onto his shoulder, exhaustion enveloping me. But before I let myself drift to sleep, I murmured softly, "I'm afraid."

"You shouldn't be," Zelos answered just as softly. "You've done this before."

I gripped him tightly. "But what if I fail?" I cried, "What if everyone is hurt because of me?"

He shushed me. "That won't happen. I won't let it."

For some reason, that comforted me, as if the statement was absolute, as if the Chosen were immortal and above the laws of mortality.

My eyes were drifting shut and I slumped in his warm embrace. "Thank you, Zelos," I mumbled.

He stood, me in his arms, the snow still falling upon us. He carried me back to the inn, and before I fell into the throes of sleep, I heard him murmur, "You're welcome, Sheena."

* * *

How was that? How can you not enjoy some fluff, plus some angst? I hope that wasn't nobody was OOC and that I didn't mess up the story or anything, because I haven't exactly finished the game yet… O.o But now you must review! YEY! xD 


End file.
